Nikon MB-CP11 Battery Pack for Coolpix 8800 Digital Camera Reviews

• Good - only if you already have good NiMH battery base

  
  By A1BAT4NZAP6B07 on 2005-01-11
  If you also have to buy NIMH AAs (or more AAs) and/or a charger. DO NOT BOTHER IT IS NOT WORTH THE MONEY. You are better off buying one or more (3 for me) EN-EL7s. The price is way too high to buy this without an existing NIMH AA infrastructure (even despite the much lower cost of NIMH batteries, about 35% by watt-hour unit)
  
  If you are like me, and you have 2 2 amp (Ray-o-vac 1-hour) chargers and 3 dozen recharchable AAs already (GP most economical), it is better to get this and use your AAs as the same AAs also powers my gameboy, toothbrush, remote control hovercraft, CD MP3 player, etc... when i'm not using the camera and also it spares you a cord and an adapter in your travel luggage.
  
  

• Is Nikon run by Dr. Evil?

  
  By A1QDKO8ZFJZ509 on 2004-12-27
  Before returning the heavily flawed Nikon 8800 (see my review), I started flirting with extras like this battery pack. It costs 170 bucks and is basically a very cheap feeling battery case with buttons for zoom and shutter. Said buttons feel EXTRA cheap. It's nice that nikon made this available (There is only an aftermarket version for my D70 which replaced the 8800), but a better job and lower price might have dropped the insult warp factor a bit. Even the guy at B&H laughed at it when he opened the box. Luckily the 8800 has good battery life anyway, so if you really don't need this, don't get it.
  Capt RB
  
  

• Adds balance and features.

  
  By A150QS4IZB3XJ on 2006-12-24
  I am used to using vertical grips with all my other Nikons. This adds an extra shutter release and zoom control to the camera. It also adds bulk to give the camera better balance in your hand. The only problem I've encountered has been losing the screws that hold the tripod mount. They just backed out in the field and I had to Super glue it. The camera is apparently discontinued, hence the ultra-low price for the base. The camera is useful as a backup, although I purchased it as something of a replacement for heavier 35mm systems in the field.
  
  I am still using it, but only as a back up to a D80, which is an excellent camera and works with all my Nikon lenses (I ordered a base for it too!) I just ordered an extra MB-CP11 to carry for quick switches. The price makes it a wonderful buy!
  
  

• Nice add-on

  
  By A2UWUELGYNILGB on 2007-01-10
  With this battery pack, I can make more pictures then before without changing batteries. I also have a better grip while taking pictures.
  
  

• Good option for backup

  
  By A2II64Q4A5OBJT on 2007-01-17
  I wouldn't have paid full price for this but at a little more than the cost of a spare battery it was a good buy. I have two regular 8800 batteries but when traveling and away from a charger I wanted something I could fall back on and AA batteries are available anywhere. Another reason is I don't know how long Nikon will continue to carry the battery designed for the camera. I already have a JVC camcorder that it is impossible to buy a battery for, leaving me tied to the power cord it came with, as well as a few other appliances with propriatary "rechargeable" batteries that have expired and can't be replaced.
  
  I attached the battery pack to my camera to test it out and using a mix of NiMh batteries was surprised at how long it lasted. As somebody already mentioned, with the battery pack on the camera is does not fit in the Coolpix carrying case, it does fit well in my Lowepro case I used to carry around my 35mm SLR cameras in. The batteries also add quite a bit of weight so you need to consider that if you are doing a lot of hiking.
  
  

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